Getting hay in india

Hi. I got a brand of hay here. It's Vitapol Vita-Hay. My rabbits are loving it. It's a mix of Alfa Alfa and Chamomile I think (by smell and look). I have two baby rabbits (20 days) whom I feed this hay and mother's milk. And two adult rabbits who feed on a mix of this hay and fresh grass.

Now, I do not have access to fresh Timothy Hay and dried versions cost a fortune. Recently while researching I got a website where they sell Timothy Hay but without a brand. I decided to try it since many people I know feed that hay to their rabbits. The hay is dried Timothy which I figured out from pictures of Timothy Hay. But my rabbits are not eating it willingly. Especially the adult male I have. He isn't eating any hay.

My question: Is Vitapol a good brand? (I don't have access to any other brands in India) How do I get the male bunny to eat hay?

 

I agree, making a rabbit eat his hay is sometimes a bit like making a child eat his greens... If you give the choice to mine between flowers, fresh grass, herbs and timothy, they won't eat the timothy. And if you give them mixes they will eat the tasty bit first. It's the same problem with pellets when you try to go from a 'junk food' brand with salt / sugar / fat to a healthier brand. Aki is even really particular about her greens (batavia is like a meh... she like pricier greens like lamb's lettuce more and she will definitely eat selectively if you give her the chance). If the hay looks good, insist with the timothy by giving only that at a time when the rabbit is usually hungry (end of the afternoon / early evening is often a good time) and leaving him with it for an hour or so before giving the rest of his food. You'll see if he is just being difficult or if he won't eat it at all. But on the other hand, results vary from one package from another. My rabbits will eat a hay brand no problem one day and refuse to touch it when I open the next package (which looks, smells IDENTICAL to me), except when it comes to Crau hay which is always a hit (and a very pricey one at that, it's the one chefs use in their recipes for humans - I keep it for when I leave for a trip or when the rabbits seem under the weather ^^').

 

Thank you so much, JBun. Your posts have been always a BIG help to me and my buns. I am attaching pictures of the hays I got. The first three are of the Timothy and the last two are of Alfa Alfa. The Timothy contains some amount of dust though. I shake off everything as much as possible. The dust is settled at the bottom so it's easy to shake off anything.

 

Rabbits can be fussy at times :nono

 

Okay. I won't buy the first one anymore. The second type of hay is a mix of hays and the seller is saying it's Alfa Alfa mostly. I can smell Chamomile more in that. I give them fresh grass mostly. I just wanted some hay for the time when they finish the grass. Yes, I think the second type of hay is what the buns are liking though I fear Alfa Alfa. I think I should stick to the fresh grass diet for the father bun and just a bit of the Alfa Alfa for the mother. The 20 day old babies love nibbling on the "Alfa Alfa" so I give them that

 

I forgot to mention this in the reply to JBun's. The first three photos are taken in low light so it's appearing deep yellow. It's pretty much like the second type of hay but yes, it's less green and less soft. I don't think I will buy it anymore. The second type is what I will stick to and fresh grass.

 

if you live in India.. feed the grasses that are normal to your area. You don't have to buy a USA based grass. Just feed them grass/hay from the area that you live in.

 

I do feed them grass all the time. But some people were insisting that I feed them hay of some sort. So I tried it out. But yes, I also think that fresh grass is the best. Bang on!

 

as long as your rabbits are healthy.... ignore what others say. Hay is simply dried grass so if you need to feed hay.. DRY some your grass. Simple and easy.

 

Hello,

Could you help me from which website i can get timothy and other types of hay for my rabbits in India?

 

You could use fresh grass to feed your bunnies. Fresh grass has more nutrients. When introducing fresh grass you feeding too much may give your bunny an upset tummy. I was feeding fresh grass from my back yard. Too much was giving my bun a tummy ache because he wasn't use to it. So I had to give him a little bit each day. I was looking at what types of grass grow in India here is the link. You'll have to do more research on what types of grass are safe for buns. I'm not sure what area you live in , but shows that Oat, and barley does grow in India.

https://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/grass.html

 

Can i give them barmuda grass which is also known as Druva in local language, Wheat Grass, Rice Crop Grass, Millet Crop?

 

I've been trying to find more info on Rice Crop Grass but haven't found much. What I've found is rice ( the grain) isn't good for your rabbit. Here is more info on wheat grass https://www.petcha.com/rabbits-wheat-grass-and-hairballs/. People feed millet to their rabbits. If you have farmers in the area that have horses ask them what types of grass they feed to their horses. They maybe able to help you get grass for your bunny.

 

I was doing some research and I was reading up on plantain weed, also know as Ribwort. It grows in the Philippines, You can feed that to your bunny in replacement of hay. Ribwort is high in fiber and my bunny loves it. It promotes a healthy digestive system, it also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

This is what it looks like:

 

I'm not quite sure types of vegetation grows there but I've been looking on line to see. That is the wrong pic that I posted. Its says board leaf plantain. Opps. Hopefully this is the right pic.